Watch battery compartment closure cap

ABSTRACT

A CAP FOR CLOSING THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT OF AN ELECTRIC WATCH COMPRISING TWO SECTIONS ONE COMPRISING THE CLOSURE DISC AND THE SECOND COMPRISING A BAYONET FITTING ENGAGEMENT DISC.

Sept. 28, 7 J. SCHAAD 3,608,304

WATCHBATTERY COMPARTMENT CLOSURE CAP Filed July 14, 1970 INVENTOR. Jean SCHAAD Cfimliuzf #124141 United States Patent Oifice WATCH BATTERY COMPARTMEN T CLOSURE CAP Jean Schaad, Gorgier, Switzerland, assignor to Voumard Machines Co. S.A., Hanterive, N euchatel, Switzerland Filed July 14, 1970, Ser. No. 54,693 Claims priority, application Switzerland, July 15, 1969, 10,763/ 69 Int. Cl. G04b 37/08 U.S. Cl. 58-2313 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cap for closing the battery compartment of an electric watch comprising two sections one comprising the closure disc and the second comprising a bayonet fitting engagement disc.

The present invention has for object a cap which is mounted in a bayonet fitting for closing the partition of the source of current of an electric watch.

This cap is characterised by the fact that it comprises a circular disc provided with gripping means permitting to rotate it, this circular disc carrying, located on one of its faces, a thin crown shaped member secured to the disc in at least some points of its inner edge, this thin member being provided, at its periphery, with a set of ears angularly distributed equally from each other, protruding on the lateral face of the disc and constituting fastening means permitting to mount the cap in a bayonet fitting on an element provided with an aperture which has to be closed by this cap.

The drawing shows, by way of example, one embodiment of the object of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of an electric watch passing through the axis of the source of current, and

FIG. 2 is a plan view, from below, of the cap closing the aperture of the back of the casing through which the battery is put in place and is removed.

The movement of the electric watch represented comprises a base-plate 1 carrying a dial 2; it is located in a waterproof casing comprising a back member made of one piece with the middle part 3, and a glass 4 held in place by a false middle part 5. The portion 3a of the back and middle part element 3, which constitutes really the back, is provided with a circular aperture 6 permitting to put in place and to remove an electric battery 7 feeding the movement.

This aperture 6 is closed by a cap comprising a circular disc 8 in which are provided two diametrical grooves 9, at right angle to each other, intended to serve as gripping means for a driving member, for instance a coin, permitting to rotate the disc 8 when the cap has to be put in place or to be removed.

The aperture 6 is provided with notches, not repre sented, through which are introduced assembling ears of the disc 8, as disclosed hereafter.

The disc 8 is provided with a circular groove 10 in which is located a thin crown shaped member 11 the inner edge of which is provided with several notches 12 in which are engaged embossments 8a of the disc 8, in such a way that the disc is angularly rigid with the crown 11. The material of the disc 8, along the embossments 8a, which has been represented at 13 in FIG. 1 as being lifted, is intended to be turned down onto the inner edge of the crown 11, in a setting operation, so that the crown and the disc is definitely assembled to each other.

The crown 11 is provided, at its periphery, with six outer ears 11a protruding on the lateral face, designated by 14, of the disc 8, and by means of which the cap is 3,608,304 Patented Sept. 28, 1971 mounted in a bayonet fitting on the back and middle part element 3-3a, these ears engaging into inner recesses 15 provided in the back, and under portion 3a of this latter. A sealing gasket 16 is located between an edge 8a of the disc 8 and the back.

The crown 11 is provided with three radial arms 11b directed towards its centre, prolonged with arc-shaped parts 110. These arms and these arc-shaped parts, which are resilient, are bent so as to be located at a distance from the disc 8, that permits them to be applied elastically against the battery 7, on the one hand for holding it in place and on the other hand for ensuring the electric contact of one of the terminals of this battery with the mass constituted by the casing and the movement.

The present arrangement of the cap, made of two elements which are definitely assembled to each other, has the advantage, with respect to a cap mounted in a bayonet fitting the ears of which would be made of one piece with its body, to facilitate its manufacture.

The disc 8 can be easily obtained by stamping or cutting, that could not be the case if its lateral face 14 should have to be provided with ears, and the crown shaped member 11 can be easily stamped due to its thinness.

Moreover, an elastic fitting of the cap can be obtained without its ears having to protrude much on the lateral face 14 of the disc 8, as it would be the case if such ears, made of one piece with the disc, should have to be able to yield elastically. As it is shown by FIG. 1, the whole width of the crown 11 can yield, that is to say the crown 11 can yield from the outer edge of its ears 11a up to its inner edge, at the place of the setting 13, that gives it a higher degree of flexibility than if its sole protruding portion would be able to be deformed.

What I claim is:

1. Cap intended to be mounted in a bayonet fitting, for closing the compartment of the source of current of an electric watch, characterised by the fact that it comprises a circular disc provided with gripping means adapted to rotate it, this circular disc carrying, located on one of its faces, a thin crown shaped member secured to the disc in at least some points of its inner edge, this thin member being provided, at its periphery, with a set of ears angularly distributed equally from each other, protruding on the lateral face of the disc and constituting fastening means adapted to mount the cap in a bayonet fitting on an element provided with an aperture which has to be closed by this cap.

2. Cap as claimed in claim 1, characterised by the fact that the crown shaped member is provided with at least two arms radially directed inwardly, bent in such a way as to be located at a certain distance from the inner face of the disc, these arms being intended to bear resiliently on the source of current which is located opposite the aperture which is to be closed by the cap.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,488,458 3/1924 Ecaubert 5890R 2,948,106 8/1960 Blumstein 58-88X FOREIGN PATENTS 751,246 6/1956 Great Britain 5890R 320,421 3/ 1957 Switzerland 3823B 410,795 10/ 1966 Switzerland.

RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner G. H. MILLER, 1a., Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 58-90R 

